SELASPHORUS RUFUS. 



Rufous Flame-bearer. 



Trochilus rufus, Gmel. Edit. Linn. Syst. Nat., vol. i. p. 497.— Jard. Nat. Lib. Humming-Bii-ds, 

 vol. ii. p. 71. pi. 2.— Aud. Birds of Am., vol. iv. pi, 379.— lb. Orn. Bio., vol. iv. 

 p. 555. 



collaris, Lath. Ind. Orn., vol. i. p. 318. — ^Vieill. Hist. Nat. des Ois. de TAm. Sept., 



torn. ii. p. 75. 



— Sitkefisis, Rathke. 



Le Sasin, Aud. et Vieill. Ois. dor., torn. i. p. 110, pis. 61, 62. 



Ornismya Sasin, I^ess. Hist. Nat. des Ois. Mou., p. 190. pis. 66, 67.— Id. Supp., p. 121. pi. 11. 



p. 123. pi. 12. p. 124. pi. 13.— -Id. Less. Troeh., p. 117. pi. 43. 

 Ruf'fiecked Humming-Bird^ Lath. Gen. Syn., vol. ii. p, 785. pi. 35. — Id. Supp., p. 135. — Shaw, 



Gen. Zool., vol. viii. p. 343. — Lath. Gen. Hist., vol. iv. p. 350. pi. 78. 

 Ruff-necked Honey-sucker, Penn. Arct. Zool., vol. ii. p. 177. 

 Trochilus (Selasphorus) rufus, Swains, and Rich. Faun. Bor. Am., vol. ii. p. 324. 

 Trochilus ruber, Brandt, Icon. Av. Ross., tab. 1, 2. 

 Selasphorus rufus, Aud, Syn. Birds of Am., p. 171. 



MelUsuga rubra, Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p. 113, Mellisuga, sp. 60. 

 Selosphorus ruber, Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av., p. 82, Selosphorus, sp. I. 

 CaUiphlox rufa, Gambel in Proc. of Acad. Sci. Philad., Oct. 1846, p. 111. 



Elegant in all its proportions, refulgent in the colouring of its throat, associated with the past as one of 

 the many interesting discoveries of our celebrated Navigator Captain Cook, and remarkable for resorting 

 to extremely high latitudes for the purpose of breeding, this little Humming-Bird has claims to our notice 

 exceeding those of most of its congeners ; it is interesting too, on account of the vast extent of country 

 over which it is spread, its range extending over Mexico and North America, but being, however, exclu- 

 sively confined to the Western or Pacific side of that great Continent, where it represents the well-known 

 Trochilus colubris, the range of which appears to be as exclusively confined to the Western or Atlantic 

 portion. The great country of Mexico may be considered as its proper habitat during the months of 

 winter. I have frequently received it from Guatemala, and from this its most southern limit, it is very 

 abundant along the great chain northwards, through California and the Rocky Mountains to Sitka, and 

 perhaps in some seasons to within the Russian territory. Captain Cook found it in abundance at Nootka 

 Sound, and every traveller who has visited the mouth of the River Columbia, speak of it as an object the 

 beauty of which never failed to arrest his attention while inhabiting those regions. After the summer is 

 over and gone, and the powerful rays of the sun are deflected towards the more southern parts of the 

 Continent, it retraces Its steps towards the congenial climate of Mexico, where Insect life is at this season 

 still sufficient for its wants ; this little Avanderer, therefore, unlike many other species, which appear to be 

 stationary, passes over a vast range of country, and is strictly a migrator ; and, as is generally the case 

 with birds having this habit, it is only in certain seasons that it bears the fine flame-coloured gorget as 

 figured in the accompanying Plate. The period when this part is most radiant is that immediately pre- 

 ceding the pairing or breeding season, and in no instance have I found specimens collected in Mexico at all 

 equal in beauty to those obtained in more northern climes. Exposure to light, the rapidity of flight, the 

 process of constructing their nest, and the frequent combats in which these little furies are engaged, all 

 doubtless tend to diminish the beauty and purity of their plumage^ perfect specimens, therefore, can only 

 be obtained during their spring passage, or immediately after their arrival at their summer residence. 



This species, more fortunate than most of its family, has had some interesting accounts of its habits and 

 economy recorded by various writers, which, in the absence of any opportunities for observing them myself, 

 I cannot perhaps do better than transcribe in their own words, as given in Audubon's ' Ornithological 

 Biography,' &c. 



''We began," says Mr. Nuttall, ''to meet with this species near the Blue Mountains of the Columbia 

 River, in the autumn, as we proceeded to the west. These were all young birds, and were not very easily 

 distinguished from those of the common species of the same age. We now for the first time (April 16) 

 saw the males in numbers, darting, burring and squeaking in the usual manner of their tribe; but when 

 engaged in collecting its accustomed sweets in all the energy of life, it seemed like a breathing gem, or 



